Means for controlling the flight of multimissile projectiles to effect close shooting.



No, 776.919. PATENTED DBG. 6, 1904.

C, LA DOW. f MEANS FOR CUN'IROLLING THE FLIGHT ,UP MULTIMISSILEPROJ'EGTILES T0 EFFECT CLUSE SHOO'HNGn PPLIOATIDH IILED AUG, B. 18M` N0MODEL UNITED STATES Patented December (l, 1904 CHARLES LA DOW, Ul" ALBANY, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLIGHT 0F MULTIMISSILE PROJECTlLES TO EFFECTCLOSE SHOOTINGu SPEGIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 776,919,dated December 6, 1904.

Original application illd January 7,1904, Serial No;187,998. Divided andthis application lllccl August 8, 1904. Ecrin] No. 219,912. (No modal.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Beit known that I, CHARLES LA Dow, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, iu the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Controllingthe Flight of Multimissile Projectiles to Effect Close Shooting, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for causing a, multimissile projectileto be thrown in relatively compact form or with slight spreading orseparation at ordinary ranges.

The present application is adivision of another tiled in my name on the7th day of January, 1904, and designated by Serial No. 187,998.

Briefly stated, the invention consists in a Wad or separating-bodyinterposed between the shot or other multimissile projectile charge andthe powder or propelling charge and adapted to direct a portion of thegases incident to the combustion or explosion of the propelling chargeto or into the projectile charge at or near its circumference, so thatas the charge leaves the gun the gases shall en velop the projectilecharge and by reason of the pressure of the gases in all directions, inward as Well as outward, hold together or in compact shape the shot orother missiles mak ing up the projectile charge.

The invention is more conveniently embodied in fixed ammunition, thoughit may be otherwise utilized-as, for instance, in the loading of anordinary muzzle-loading gun. In the present case I have elected toillustrate the invention as embodied in Aa cartridge, believing this torepresent the most satisfactory and generally acceptable form.

In the drawings forming part hereof, Figures 1, 2, and 3 arelongitudinal sectionsof cartridges loaded or made up in accordance withthe present invention. Figs. 4 to .9, inclusive, representcross-sections of cartridgeshells, showing different forms of Wa/ds orseparating-bodies suitable to be placed be tween the propelling andprojectile charges i carrying out my invention. In the practical use andtiring of multimis- 'tudinal axis.

silecharges, whether of relatively small rnissiles, such as shot redfrom an ordinary sporting-ride or canister fired from ordnance, it isoftendesirable that the projectile charge be thrown to given distancesin relatively compactform or as a practically solid mass, whereasordinarily it is preferable that the missiles should separate and spreadover a comparatively large area at like range.

As above indicated, the present invention is directed to theconcentration or holding together of the charge, so that it shall bethrown either as a practically solid mass or so as to Spread but littleand place all the missiles within acomparatively restricted area. This Iaccomplish by placing between the propelling and projectile chargesWeds, diaphragme, or separators of such form and construction that thegases incident to combustion or eX- plosion of the propelling chargeshall pass to the circumference or periphery of the projectile charge,but shall not passte or enter said projectile charge at or close to itslongi- It is found that by thus directing the gases to the circumferenceor just Within the circumference of the projectile charge it isprevented from quickly spreading ont or separating on leaving the muzzleof the gun and, in fact, for very considerable distances therefrom. Theform of the separating wad or body may vary within quite wide limits.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown 'several of "the many formswhich have been tested and found capable of prod coing the desiredresult. These wads or separating rnediums may be in a single piece orpart or may l be made up of several parts, and the different parts (whentwo or more are used) may be variously arranged.

In Fig. 1, 'A indicates a Vcartridge-shell, which may be of any usual orapproved form; B, a powder charge; (3 a multimissile projectile charge`here represented as ordinary shot; D, a retaining wad or disk placed inad Vance of the shot and held in position under the present showing bycrimping or inturrv ing the end of the shell in a common and well knownninnncr. Between the propelling und projectile charges B and (l isplaced e separuting wud or body IC, composed in the prescnt instance oftwo wads n the wud fr hnvA ing a centr-nl opening c und wad l) beingprovided with peripheral notches or recesses d, which form passages forthe gus. The wads n are placed in surface contact und serve to separatethe powder and shot und prevent either from workingr over to the spacebelong ing to the other. W'hen, however, the powder charge is ignitedand gases are generated, some portion of these gases pass through theopeniugc in the wad n, between the wads a and and through the notches orrecesses d to the circumference of the projectile charge C. As theprojectile charge leaves the muzzle of the gun these gases envelop thecharge and apparently move forward more nearly in the line of travel ofthe projectile charge than is the case where an ordinary close-fittingwad is placed next to the shot or projectile charge. The result, asevidenced by many and varied practical tests, clearly is a holdingtogether of the projectile charge, so that at given range all themissiles making up the charge will be contained or delivered within acircle of' smaller radius than would be the case were any of the gasespermitted to pass to the center or axis of the charge as is done inscattering. The reason for this is believed to be correctly statedabove-that is, it is thought that the gases follow more nearly the lineof movement of the charge and more perfectly and efectually envelop andhold together that charge; but whatever may be the correct theory orexplanation the action is definitely known to be that above stated-towit, a holding together of the missiles and a. concentration of the samewithin a smaller space than when the charge is made up or loaded in theordinary way.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a separating-body E' made up of three wads j' gIt, which may be of an of the forms illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7, ineusive--that is to say, in any form having the periphery cut away toleave passages t', by which the gases or a portion thereof may pass fromthe rear to the front of the wad or separating-body and be delivered tothe projectile charge at or near its circumference while prevented fromreaching its center or axis. Fig. 3 shows a similar cartridge having awad or separating medium Emude in a single piece, with notches j in itsedges, as shown in Fig. 9. This is the same form substantially as thatillustrated in Fig. 5, except that the openings are more numerous, butsmaller.

Fig. 8 shows a wad Ea designed to fit and fill the shell or the bore ofthe gun, as the case may be, and having perforations L', arranged aslight distance within its circumference and serving to deliver portionsof the gases to the projectile chnrgn near its cireInni'erencc :in at ndistance from the center or axis oi' th charge. lly varying the locutionol thus periorations and placing` them ncnrcr to o further from thecirci'nnlerencc nl' the wir the degree ol concentrntion or holding tcgether of the projectile churgc muy bc varie and determined withconsiderable accuracy but they never approach so near the center o exisas to allow the gases to enter to any con siderable extent the centralportion ol thi projectile charge, as in that event sciitterin; orspreading oi' the charge will result.

Various forms muy, as above suggested, bi given to the separating wud orbody accord ing to the particular purposes for or the pe culiarcircumstances under which the chai-gc is to be fired. Some of thesespecial forms.4 contemplate setting forth and claiming in sep strateapplications, the present case being de signed to cover, broadly, anymeans whereby the gases or a portion thereofI may be directed to theprojectile charge at or near its circumference.

Having thus described my invention, whai I claim is 1. In combinationwith a propelling charge and a multimissile projectile charge, aninterposed wad or separator provided at or near its peripheryr withpassages through which the gases of the propelling charge, or a por tionthereof, may pass to the projectile charge at or near its circumference.

2. In combination with a propelling charge and a multimissile projectilecharge, an interposed wad or separator adapted to hold apart saidcharges at their centers or axial portions but to permit n passage ofthe gases from the propelling to the projectilechnrgc at points radiallydistant from seid centers or axial portions.

3. In combination with a propelling charge and a multimissile projectilecharge, an interposed wad or separator provided :it its circnmferencewith notches or passages th rough which the gases of the propellingcharge may pass to the circumference of the projectile charge.

4. In combination with a propelling charge and a multimissile projectilecharge, an interposed Wad or separator comprising a plurality of wads,the wad nextto the projectile charge having a closed central portion andbeing cut away at its circumference, and another of the wads having acentral opening, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A cartridge, comprising a shell or case, apowder or propellingcharge, ashot or multi missile projectile charge, and an interposedseparator having at or near its circumference passages through whichgases may pass from the propelling charge to the circumferential portionof the projectile charge.

6. A cartridge, comprising a shell or case A, a propelling charge B, amulimissilc projectile elmrgc C, n rctuining wud 01' disk l),

and u separator ll), colnprising wads a, und b, wad a having n, centralperforation o und being placed next to the propelling charge. and wmlbeing provided with peripheral notches or recesses d.

4ln testimony Wliernol l liswusignod my narnia to this specification inthe g'ulfmncc ol' two sul- Scx'ibing witnesses.

CHARLES LA DOW'.

Wibnsses: Y

VVLLLMMW. DODGE,l FANNIm WISE,

